Thousands of opponents of gay marriage marched through Paris yesterday in a last-ditch protest before a law allowing same-sex union and adoption is passed tomorrow.

About 50,000, most of them older people and families with children, waving pink and blue flags massed behind a banner reading: ‘All born of a mum and a dad.’

Although it ended peacefully, riot police had been on standby after a series of violent demonstrations outside the French parliament earlier this month. Police had to use tear gas when far-Right youths pelted them with stones and bottles.

On Thursday there were 75 arrests at another demonstration in Paris.

March: Thousands of protesters took to the Paris streets to demonstrate against gay marriage today

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Yesterday’s march had been hastily organised after the law’s passage was sped up to avoid a big rally set for next week.

‘We warned the president back in
November that we would not give up and that we would do everything to
stop this law being passed, or to get it repealed if it is adopted,’
said protest organiser Alberic Dumon.

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Numerous opinion polls have shown that
a majority of French people support gay marriage but far fewer agree
that homosexuals should be allowed to adopt children.

The law change is
part of President Francois Hollande’s flagship social reform policies,
but opponents claim it is undemocratic to bring about such a fundamental
change without holding a referendum.

Last-ditch effort: Gay marriage will be legalised on Tuesday if the protesters are not successful

Leader: Campaigner 'Frigide Bardot', right, with a number of gay opponents of same-sex marriage

Campaign: Protests against gay marriage have used bright colours and images to convey their message

Although a secular country, the
majority of French are Roman Catholics, and it also has the largest
Muslim population in western Europe.

Senior religious leaders have
condemned the same-sex marriage and adoption laws and many were expected
to join yesterday’s protest.

The extremist arm of the movement has
seen public stalking of government ministers and a spate of homophobic
attacks around the country.

Reaction: Thousands of others gathered to support the plans to legalise gay marriage this week

Iconic: The counter-protest took place in the Place de la Bastille, former site of the famous prison

Worries: Gay-rights advocates claim the political debate has led to a spike in homophobia in France

Supporters: Three advocates of gay marriage gathered to protest against homophobia

And in January, around 350,000 protesters
massed under the Eiffel Tower and tore up the lawns beneath it.

Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe, one of
few French public officials who is openly gay, headed a rival march
yesterday in favour of same-sex marriage and said that it was too late
for anything to derail the law.

Hollande, who is grappling with the
lowest popularity ratings of any recent French president as unemployment
surges above 10 per cent, hoped to win some glory from passing a reform
already in place in a dozen other countries.